Method of making moccasin shoes



m V T 0 P J m METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASIN SHOES Filed June 26, 195k 4 Sheets-Sheet l R. J. PUTVIIN METHOD OF MAKING MOCGASIN SHOES mm June 3%, 1953 4 Sheets-Shmaat 2 W 135% m. ..u. POTWN METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASIN SHOES 4 smu -sham 3 Filed June 26, 1953 A WW mm H. J. POTVIN METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASIN SHOES fifimfi 113 9511 Filed June 26; 1953 United States Patent METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASIN SHOES Richard J. Potvin, Brockton, Mass.

Application June 26, 1953, Serial No. 364,257

Claims. (Cl. 12-142) This invention relates to a method of making shoes, and pertains more particularly to improvements in methods of closing the bottom of an assembled moccasin upper and lasting the closed upper.

The principal purpose of the invention is to provide a simple, economical and time-saving process of shoe making which affords a moccasin shoe or sandal having a smooth bottom, free of ridges, toe plates or other inserts, and which insures precise molding of the toe and forepart of the vamp to the last and thus improves the general fitting qualities and appearance of the finished shoes.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention to close the bottom of the assembled upper by a butt seam extending from adjacent the heel approximately to the toe end thereof, thereby eliminating the use of a toe plate, permitting the use of a one-piece vamp, and avoiding the front seam conventionally employed in closing a two- 7 piece or toe-split vamp.

It is also a particular object of this invention to last the assembled slip-lasted upper by the use of an easily applied constrictive band of rubber or other suitably resilient material, whichefiectively molds the bottom and side portions of a moistened upper to the edge of the last and also sealsa bottom .fiap at the front of the vamp; the lasting operation being speedily performed by inexperienced employees, without the use of expensive tools or equipment.

The improved method of shoe making is herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings in connection with the manufacture of a childs sandal having a moccasin upper and a conventional outsole; but it will be understood that this invention may be practiced in making other types of slip-lasted shoes, and that the structural details of the shoe parts herein disclosed may be varied without departing from the essence of the inven- 'tion as defined in the appended claims. r

, In the-drawings: r

Fig. l is a composite view showing, in plan, the several parts or patterns which are used in making the illustrative embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the assembled upper, including an optional counter,

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the assembled upper;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are plan, side and bottom views, respectively, of the lasted upper showing the arrangement of rubber bands extending around the side and bottom margins, and preferably over the waist portion thereof; Fig. 6a is a longitudinal cross-section through the toe portion of the shoe in the stage shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6;

Figs. 7 and 8 are plan and side views, respectively, of the finished sandal;

Fig. 9 is a section in line 9-9 of Fig. 7; and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through the heel portion of the finished shoe.

The shoe parts employed in making the illustrative sandal comprise a one-piece vamp and quarters 11 having bottom-forming portions; a forepart plug 12, having a 2,757,396 Patented Aug. 7, 1956 tongue portion 13; a back stay or kicker 14; a counter or stiffener 15; facing strips 16; sandal straps. 17; and an outsole 18. The upper parts are preferably made of light leather; the counter may be of any conventional material which sets firmly after softening with a solvent; and the outsole may be made of relatively soft leather or of composition material. The upper may, if desired, consist of separate vamp and quarter pieces, stitched together in accordance with common practice; and the term unitary vamp, as used herein is intended to include a vamp of that type, as well as the one-piece vamp and quarters herein shown. A toe box or stifiener (not shown) may be incorporated in the shoe or sandal, if desired.

The top margin of the vamp has projecting tabs 19 to which the ends of the cross straps 17 are stitched; and tabs 20 to which buckles 20' (Fig. 7) are: attached. The bottom margin of the vamp is notched at 21to define the bottom-forming side portions thereof and to provide an intervening front flap 22. The ends of the vamp are shaped to butt in closing the back of the sandal.

The plug 12 is shaped to fit the vamp of the assembled upper, as shown in Fig. 9, the margin of the plug underlying the margin of the vamp and being joined thereto by stitching 23, but other types of seams may obviously be employed, if desired. The tongue portion 13 of the plug has conventional slits 24 through which one of the cross straps 17 is passed when the shoe is buckled on the foot of the wearer (Fig. 7).

The back stay 14, counter 15 and facing strips 16 are conventionally made and these parts are conventionally applied, after closing the bottom of the vamp, in forming the assembled upper as shown in Figs. 2 and 10.

In accordance with this invention, the bottom-forming portions of the vamp are drawn together and closed by butting the edges 25 of the vamp and stitching them by a zigzag stitch to provide a seam 26 extending along the joined edges 25 from the back to the toe of the shoe (Fig. 3). The notches 21 are so cut that the curved edges 27 formed thereby approximately follow the toe contour of the last to which the assembled and closed upper is to be applied, and the seam 26 extends forwardly to the juncture of said edges 27, preferably at the extreme toe portion of the bottom of the upper. Thus, there is no necessity of utilizing a toe plate or other insert, as heretofore provided in certain types of moccasin shoes, to fill a cavity in the bottom of the upper.

The seam 26 may be made by a Singer zig-zag sewing machine, type 107W, by deflecting the presser foot bar, so that the bar will project forwardly under the plug 12 of the assembled upper and permit the needle to carry the stitch to the extreme end of the toe portion thereof.

The margin of the front flap 22 is skived to a feather edge, so that it may be folded under the closed bottom of the upper and adhesively secured thereto (Fig. 6), when the shoe is lasted as hereafter described, without forming an uncomfortable ridge on the shoe bottom.

The assembled upper is slipped on a last 28 of correct size and shape to correspond with the pattern of the upper, after softening the bottom portion of the upper by dipping or spraying with water or other softening liquid. The applied upper is first shaped to the last by buckling the straps 17. The side and bottom margins of the upper are then molded to the last by applying thereto a relatively wide elastic band 29 extending around the bottom margin of the lasted upper and having substantial tension, so that the leather is constricted and compressed to conform precisely to the shape of the last.

The application of the elastic band 29, as shown in Figs. 4-6, also folds and presses the front flap 22 to correct position. The flap is preferably coated with adhesive before the band 29 is applied, and the pressure of the band effectively seals the flap to the closed bottom of the sandal, over the forward end of the seam 26.

When the sandal or shoe has a relatively narrow instep portion, one or more additional elastic bands 30 are preferably applied transversely around the lasted upper at the waist portion, as also shown in Figs. 46.

The lasted shoe is set aside to dry, and the tensioning bands 29 and 30 are then removed. Air drying usually requires about 24 hours, but the time may be shortened by exposing the lasted shoes to hot air or by placing them in a heated chamber.

After the bands have been removed, the sole is laid and temporarily cemented in place while the shoe remains on the last. The last is then pulled, the sole edges are trimmed and the sole is permanently stitched to the bottom of the shoe, as by a Littleway lockstitch 31. As here shown, the sole is laminated and comprises a midsole 18' and outsole 18, but it is apparent that a single sole may be used, if desired. A spring heel piece 32 may be inserted between the sole layers at the heel portion of the shoe (Fig. The shoe is finished by applying a sock lining 33, as shown, or a heel pad, if desired, in accordance with conventional practice.

It will be understood that the term elastic band as used herein is intended to include a continuous, closed band or strip, of rubber, elastic webbing or other resilient material; a closed band made partly of elastic and partly of flexible inelastic material; and a flexible and resilient band or strip, which may be closed and tightened around the lasted upper by a buckle or other means for fastening the band under substantial tension. It will also be understood that the continuous lasting bands would be made in varying lengths for different shoe sizes, and that the effective width of the band which is applied around the bottom margins of the upper should be sufiicient to mold the upper to the bottom margin as Well as to the side margin of the last.

I claim:

1. The method of making a slip lasted shoe, of the type having a unitary vamp provided with bottom forming portions, which comprises the following steps; assembling the upper, drawing the edges of the bottom forming portions into abutting relation and stitching them together to form a substantially closed bottom, moistening the bottom portions of the upper, slipping the upper onto a last having bottom and side surfaces merging at a bottom edge, placing, under substantial tension, an elastic band, having a face of substantial width, around the periphery of the last so that said face lies toward the last and overlies the regions of said bottom and side surfaces adjacent the bottom edge all around the last, and leaving said band thus placed until the upper has been substantially dried and conformed to the last.

2. The method of making a slip-lasted shoe which comprises the following steps; notching a vamp to provide a front flap and bottom-forming portions to either side thereof, drawing the edges of said portions into abutting relationship and stitching them together to form a substantially closed bottom, closing the back of the vamp and assembling an upper therewith, moistening the bottom portions, slipping the upper onto a last having bottom and side surfaces merging at a bottom edge, and placing, under substantial tension, an elastic band, having a face of substantial width, around the periphery of the last so that said face lies toward the last and overlies the regions of said bottom and side surfaces adjacent the bottom edge all around the last, and leaving the band in this position until the vamp has been substantially dried and conformed to the shape of the last.

3. A method according to claim 2 in which the stitching closing the bottom of the vamp is carried from the heel portion to the extreme toe thereof, and said front flap is coated with adhesive prior to the placing of the band on the last and is carried, by the placing of the band, into a position overlapping the toe portion of the closed vamp bottom and is pressed onto said toe portion by the band.

4. The method of conforming a shoe upper, of the type having a substantially closed bottom, to a last, having bottom and side surfaces merging at a bottom edge, which comprises placing around the periphery of the last, while the upper is damp and on the last, an elastic band having a face of substantial width, the band being under substan tial tension and being so placed that said face lies toward the last and overlies the regions of said side and bottom surfaces adjacent the bottom edge all around the last, and leaving the band thus placed until the upper has been substantially dried.

5. A method according to claim 4 adapted for conforming an upper which has a front flap, the flap being coated with adhesive before the application of the band and being carried by the placing of the band into position to overlapthe toe portion of the bottom of the upper, and being pressed by the band onto said toe portion, the band being left in place until the adhesive has set.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 167,676 Lambert Sept. 14, 1875 364,010 Gerhard May 31, 1887 1,754,272 Jorgensen Apr. 15, 1930 2,076,285 Wiggin Apr. 6, 1 937 2,082,841 Mackensen June 8, 1937 2,218,006 Medwed Oct. 15, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 395,555 Germany May 20, 1924 454,741 France May 5, 1913 

